“Quick question, what’s the most important thing about barbecue?”
“Uh… eating?”
“Nope, that’s just the second most important thing! The top spot goes to fragrance!”
It’s just like instant noodles; once you open the package, it smells so good that even the hungriest person will drool just by catching a whiff. Barbecue has a similar kind of magic!
Little Ke had poured all his efforts into making everything at Wanchun Courtyard suffused with a spicy aroma.
However, barbecue isn’t something you commonly find in the Imperial Capital, because, you know, it leaves your mouth all greasy and isn’t exactly classy.
If I had to make an analogy:
Wanchun Courtyard would be a seven-star hotel, where you need to be suited up and wearing a tie to enter. Barbecue, on the other hand, is like a roadside stall, so its presence here feels quite out of place.
What if the barbecue was at the top of the Qianlong List, though? Now that’s really bizarre, isn’t it?!
After Little Ke notified everyone, the door to the room swung open one by one, and many women, recognizing this lucky charm of a man, had dressed up for the occasion.
The women at the Hundred Flowers Gathering were mostly in their youthful years.
Time is like a kn*fe; beauty fades. While the names of those on the Hundred Flowers List shine bright, it doesn’t mean they can escape the grasp of time.
Unlike the Heavenly Rankings of the Penglai Star Sect, these talented women wouldn’t intentionally swoop into such a gathering.
“That fragrance… who is Young Hero Ke?” Lan Tian scanned the hall.
“Is he… over there barbecuing?” Tu Yan raised an eyebrow.
The women exchanged glances, all noticing the vegetable-like confusion in each other’s eyes.
The handsome image of the Qianlong List had somehow been shattered.
“Isn’t he the sword hero wielding the Divine Sword of the Celestials…?”
“I once saw his poetry in Yunzhou; I thought he was some cultured gentleman, a refined jade figure.”
“I can’t shake the feeling he’s a bit different from what I imagined.”
“Wanchun Courtyard’s meals are a bit pricey, but bringing your own food? That’s a little excessive.”
Madame Shen pinched her nose, eyebrows furrowing tighter than a pretzel.
Coming from a scholarly family, she grew up in a world of refined tastes and intellectual conversations. Before stepping out, she’d burned incense to freshen up.
She took her appearance very seriously.
But little did she expect, meeting Ke Mo was less about charm and elegance and more about…suddenly looking a bit underwhelming.
To put it bluntly, he looked a tad out of place.
Especially with those skilled barbecue techniques—he resembled a somewhat handsome street vendor, far from the charismatic figure she had pictured in her mind.
As for handsome?
All the renowned women had their butterflies fluttering around them, and compared to a whole gang of adorable young talents, Little Ke seemed ordinary and too confident.
He went out of his way to arrange the Hundred Flowers Gathering just to treat them like this?
What kind of astonishing event would that turn out to be? A countryside talent show?!
Many shared Shen’s sentiments.
“Why hasn’t he come yet?”
Ke Mo had finished grilling but looked up to find an assembly of ‘ordinary’ and ‘somewhat pretty’ women standing upstairs.
“Huh?”
“Young… Young Hero Ke, do you eat this?”
A bright voice chirped, accompanied by the unmistakable sound of someone swallowing.
The girl wore a sea silk robe, her hair a sky blue that flowed like waves, her eyes sparkling with life.
Sensing the familiar aura from Ke Mo, she boldly stepped closer.
“You can give it a try.”
With a twinkle in his eye, Ke Mo handed her a few skewers.
“Whoa! Spicy!”
Lan Tian took a breath, tears springing from her eyes due to the heat.
But those tears were like shimmering pearls, not even touching the ground.
This scene reminded Ke Mo of some shellfish…
Unlike shellfish, Lan Tian wasn’t a monster clan shapeshifter, but rather someone like Murong Xiao… er, a half-monster.
At that moment…
Warm Reminder: If you think this book is good, to avoid losing track next time, please remember to add it to your bookshelf!
The peony room on the courtyard’s rooftop opened, revealing Luo Ji, who had changed her name to Su Yao, spotting the crowd of glamorous women standing still.
She blinked, asking, “Why is everyone standing here?”
“Are you the owner of Wanchun Courtyard, the Su Yao from the tenth rank?”
“Now, I’m no longer the owner,” she said with a smirk.
Noticing the thoughts of the women, Luo Ji found herself feeling mischievous, whispering, “The owner has changed, you know.”
“Young Hero Ke just bought Wanchun Courtyard, so now I have to listen to him, or those big shots in the court who are on good terms with him won’t let me off easy.”
“???”
Upon hearing this, their gazes shifted down to the figure who had just extinguished the barbecue grill.
I mean, isn’t it strange?
The atmosphere seemed to shift altogether.
With his subtle charm, the nature of the situation changed.
“How much did he spend on Wanchun Courtyard?”
“There wasn’t a specific price; Little Ke handed over a banknote, letting me fill in the amount myself.”
“When I first saw him, I thought he was quite dashing, but now it seems he’s still grounded.”
“This aroma smells delightful; the barbecue he’s using… is it this?”
“Indeed, he’s like a firefly in the dark. Even while grilling, he stands out so much.”
Isn’t it funny?
When a normal person eats from a roadside stall, it feels low-end, unremarkable. But when a billionaire eats from it, suddenly it feels relatable and rooted, reminding everyone to stay humble.
Even if the wealth wasn’t earned through hard work, it cloaked him in a layer of mysterious appeal.
And so, Ke Mo just distanced himself from all those other young talents.
Which young talent isn’t wealthy, powerful, and can barbecue like a pro?
That’s just too much.
Tu Yan’s legs crossed tighter. She couldn’t help but let out a soft hum; this him didn’t seem to be just a mere pawn under skirts; he might actually have some control over her…
Moments later, the hall was full.
Little Ke was utterly baffled but didn’t think much about it.
“Oh right, ladies from afar, after the gathering, I still have a token of gratitude for you.”
“A Beauty Retaining Pill, it works wonders for maintaining youth…”
His divine gaze swept over the room, he knew investing in this wouldn’t go wrong.
As he said that, he pulled out a little notebook and, based on his experience from last year watching the Spring Festival Gala, began organizing the event segments. Halfway through, Huang Donglai and his buddies showed up.
Huang mainly came to help, while his friends used the excuse to hang out.
Yet, the more they ‘helped,’ the more silent they became, as if they truly were just here to assist.
For instance, Wu Chushu, still not giving up, asked Madame Shen if she’d like to join Ke Mo for dinner at Wanchun Courtyard. And guess what she said?
She wanted to eat the barbecue that Ke Mo grilled himself!
Who could resist that?
That little sister from He Huan Sect went even further, calling him ‘my little brother’ every other breath. Just listening made one’s bones melt; she even said her dance and outfit change would be a completely different vibe, but only Ke Mo could come to her room to watch.
Ke Mo replied that the gathering was for everyone in the Imperial Capital, even those from Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
So as long as it was something everyone could enjoy, it was fine.
Later on, the ladies got a bit rowdy; it was probably a bandwagon effect.
‘If they’re all going in without a care, won’t I seem inferior by not joining?’
‘If I can grab the spotlight that everyone’s fighting over, it’ll show I’m better than them.’
The brothers went with the former mindset.
Little Ke opted for the latter.
But the number one from the Qianlong List still had that uncanny ability to stay clean, effortlessly dodging the flurry of arms waving at him.
“I need to wrap things up quickly…”
“Today turned out like this; what will tomorrow be like?”
Ke Mo felt a hint of relief that Ice Chunk hadn’t come.
Otherwise… the jealousy from Nine Heavens and the Biyun Tower would be… dangerous!
